Command and Leadership

Colonel Evan Pettus is the Commandant, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Air Command and Staff College is the world’s premier in-residence and distance learning professional military education college for mid-career officers and civilians which focuses on the education and development of air-minded joint leaders. Air Command and Staff College graduates about 500 resident and over 9,000 nonresident students from all US military services, federal agencies and 65 partner nations each year. Read Full Bio

Colonel Leon J. Perkowski, Ph.D. is the Vice Commandant of Air Command and Staff College. He assists the Commandant in executing a $5.5M academic program and directs activities across 8 departments to deliver graduate education to 12,000 personnel annually. Col Perkowski spent the first half of his career as a weather officer supporting fighter wings at Shaw AFB and RAF Lakenheath, managing pollution control R&D projects at Air Force Research Laboratory, and serving and deploying as a staff weather officer for Headquarters US Army Europe and NATO's Joint Headquarters, Centre. After receiving a second master's degree from Air Command and Staff College, Col Perkowski served in various capacities at Air University, including: deputy chairperson of the Department of International Security and Military Studies at Air Command and Staff College, Associate Dean of Distance Learning at the Air War College, Associate Dean of Academics at Air University's new eSchool of Graduate PME, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Strategy, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL.

Dr. Forsyth currently serves as Dean, Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Prior to joining ACSC, he served as Professor, International Politics at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. A retired Air Force Colonel, Dr. Forsyth has spent more than twenty-five years in military education, with a wide variety of assignments at Maxwell and the United States Air Force Academy. He is the author of ‘Remembrance of Things Past: The Enduring Value of Nuclear Weapons’ and the ‘The Common Sense of Small Nuclear Arsenals’—each garnering national and international attention. His most recent publications, ‘What Great Powers Make It: International Order and the Logic of Cooperation in Cyberspace’ and ‘Structural Causes and Cyber Effects: Why International Order is Inevitable in Cyberspace’ examine the prospects of achieving international cooperation in cyber-space. A native of New Jersey, he received his PhD from the Joseph Korbel School of International Relations, University of Denver. Read Full Vitae

Colonel Michele Johnson is the Dean of Students and Support at Air University’s Air Command and Staff College. As Dean, Col Johnson directs support for 500 Air Force, Joint, and International in-resident students. She supervises two squadron commanders and is responsible for registrar functions, budgeting, facilities, security, information technology, and human resources.

Colonel Johnson began her military career in 1995 as a distinguished graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Saint Michael’s College, Winooski, Vermont. She has commanded at the squadron level twice, to include the 321st Training Squadron at Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX, and Cadet Squadron 16 at the United States Air Force Academy, CO.

Research Interest/Expertise: character development; mentoring and coaching; educational leadership

Master Sergeant Kerchell Strong is the Senior Enlisted Leader of Air Command Staff College. In this capacity she oversees 103 officers, 4 enlisted, and 102 civilians across 35 specialties. She also advises the Command Staff, and 2 Squadron Commanders on matters related to morale, quality of life, discipline, and effective utilization of 709 joint, and international professionals.

Master Sergeant Strong enlisted in the Air Force in December of 1999 and her background include various duties in Information Management, Knowledge Operations Management and in Administrative career field at the group, wing, headquarters, and joint levels. She deployed to Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan plus participated in Joint Exercises in support of Key Resolve, Operation Fury and completed overseas tours in Germany, Azores, and Japan. Read Full Bio